Hiking TrailsAll our trails have steps - reasonable mobility and fitness required
Holkrans (Hollow Cave): Round trip: 1 hr 30 min (1) Hike from the Ablution Block (AB). It is a fairly easy hike to the small dam. Cross the steel bridge, and hike uphill until you reach the Holkrans; OR (2)for a more scenic hike but with more steps - take Spruitroete up to the first wooden bridge, turn right few metres and then left to follow Ouhout Walk, turn right to go past Swaeltjie Nes, hike uphill, go through Boesmangrot, hike down to the main footpath and turn right to Holkrans. Holkrans is a very impressive open cave 100m in length and up to 40m deep. During the Boer war Boer women and children took refuge in various caves in the area. In Holkrans do not touch the stinging nettles (brandnetels) – the plants have small green leaves with jagged edges and touching them stings your skin ! Exit Holkrans on the far end and continue a small distance to reach Jacob’s Ladder and the Chain Ladder; both can be used to climb to the top of the cliff.Water Tunnels:Round trip: 2 - 3 hrs (5 km). They are located at the inflow to the municipal dam on top of the cliffs.(1) Proceed through Holkrans and climb up the Chain Ladder, or scramble up Jacob’s Ladder, OR (2) Hike from the AB, take Maanskerm turn-off left, Castle View turn-off right, then turn left at the T with Kruinroete and hike uphill. At the top of the cliff turn right and follow the white marks on the sandstone until you reach the municipal dam. Keep to the right side of the dam. Follow the edge of the dam (or the 4x4 track & left where the road splits) to reach the inflow to the top end of the dam. Climb down to the dam’s feeder stream. Turn right and wade through shallow water around the rock.The main stream opens up to a very interesting rock ceiling carved out by water. The small stream to the right has an icy cold pool and a small waterfall – be careful – rocks are slippery when wet! the top of the cliff, turn right, and follow the white marks on the rocks to the municipal dam).Maanskerm (Moon Veil): Hike from the AB, take the Maanskerm turn-off left. It is a steep but short climb of about 10 minutes. The name originated after a landscape student hung many long poles as a veil in front of the cave from the cliff above. The poles had a big white circle painted on them (like a moon), and the poles formed a giant wind chime.Castle View: It is a short scenic hike that connects the Maanskerm and Kruinroete hikes, with beautiful views over the Maluti Mountains. At the highest point look south across the middle of the cultivated field and try to spot Destiny Castle - a real castle on the rock plateau.Boesmangrot (Khoisan Cave): The cave has an interesting stalagmite column, dripping water from the fountains above, a few intact Khoisan paintings, and a visible layer in the rock with lots of small white bits and pieces of bone from the dinosaur period.There are 3 ways to get there – all have many steps(1) Hike from the AB to the small dam, cross over the steel bridge, and take the Boesmangrot turn-off to the right (2) Hike from the AB, take the Swaeltjie Nes turn-off, cross the wooden bridge, keep left to go past Swaeltjie Nes, and hike uphill to Boesmangrot (3) For a more scenic hike with more steps, start with Spruitroete near the office, then Ouhout Walk, turn right to go past Swaeltjie Nes, and hike uphill.Ouhout Walk and Spruitroete: Together they form the footpath between the office and Swaeltjie Nes. Option 1: to start at the top and walk down to the office, use the main trail, take the Ouhout Walk turn-off, cross the wooden bridge and turn right on Ouhout Walk, following the footpath along the spruit. Sit on the bench and contemplate life. Carry on with the footpath until you reach a wooden bridge.Cross the stream with the wooden bridge to exit to the chalets and camping, or continue with Spruitroete 1 and exit next to the office. Option 2: start at the office with Spruitroete 1 and continue with Ouhout Walk to reach Swaeltjie Nes.Cross on the Cliff: Standing at the cross one has beautiful views over Meiringskloof, the Maluti mountains, and the mountains to the west (1) Start with Spruitroete 1 near the office. Turn right at the wooden bridge and hike straight uphill (where it says Cliff Hanger ..). When you reach the top of the cliff turn right to get to the cross. OR (2) Just past K16 take the Kruinroete 2 / Cross on the Cliff turn-off down to the stream. Cross over the wooden bridge and hike straight uphill to the top of the cliff. When you reach the top of the cliff turn right to get to the cross.Cliff Hanger Trail: A scenic hike of 9.2 kms (4-7 hours depending on fitness and time spent). It starts with a steep climb to the Cross on the Cliff and then follows the contours around the mountain with beautifull views over the mountain ranges in the area - Witteberge to the west, Maluti mountains in Lesotho to the south, and the Drakensberg and Rooiberge to the east. A permit is required and can be obtained at the office in Meiringskloof along with a trail map. An indemnity form must be signed.
HOLKRANS (Hollow Cave) Main Trail: Round trip of 1 hr to 1 hr 20 min depending on fitness, time spent, and detours taken. Start from the Ablution Block (AB) with an easy walk to the small dam and cross Meiringspruit. Follow the footpath until you reach the Holkrans. It is a huge open cave about 100m in length and 40m deep at the widest point. Folklore has it that Boer women and children took refuge here and in the Water Tunnels during the Boer war – but they were hiding much deeper up into the Snymanshoek mountains. Beware of the stinging nettles (“brandnetels” - small green leaves with toothed / jagged edges - touching them stings your skin !). Exit the cave on the far end and continue a short distance to Jacob’s Ladder and the Chain Ladder. Same footpath back – or turn off to Boesmansgrot.Water Tunnels:Round trip of about 2 to 3 hours (5 km). Use the main Holkrans trail to reach the Chain Ladder. Climb up the Chain Ladder to the top of the cliff (or scramble up Jacob’s Ladder on the left about 50m before reaching the Chain Ladder – the last part of Jacob’s Ladder has steps carved out in the sandstone). At the top of the cliff turn right and follow the white marks on the sandstone until you reach the municipal dam. Keep to the right side of the dam. Follow the edge of the dam, or the 4x4 track and turn-off to the left where the road splits - follow the track to reach the inflow to the top end of the dam. Climb down to the dam’s feeder stream. Turn right and wade through shallow water around the rock. The small stream seen joining from the right has an icy cold pool and a small waterfall a little way in. The main stream opens up to a very interesting rock ceiling carved out by water. (Note: After heavy rain one cannot reach the Chain Ladder; use Kruinroete 1 to get to the top of the cliff, turn right, and follow the white marks on the rocks to the municipal dam).Maanskerm (Moon Veil): Start on the Holkrans main trail and take the turn-off marked Maanskerm. It is a steep but short climb of less than 10 minutes. The name originated after a landscape student hung many poles as a veil in front of the cave from the cliff above – the poles had a big white circle painted on them and formed a giant wind chime.Castle View: Start on the Maanskerm trail and take the footpath marked Castle View. It is a short scenic hike with beautiful views over the Maluti Mountains. At the highest point look south across the middle of the cultivated land next to Meiringskloof, and see if you can spot Destiny Castle. It is a real castle built on a flat rock plateau and is quite a bit to the left of the round rock outcrop called Hoenderkop. Continue to join Kruinroete 1 – left takes you to the top of the cliff, right takes you down to the main trail.Boesmansgrot (Khoisan Cave): Start and end at the main trail. Take the Boesmansgrot turn-off to enter the cave from the left side, carry on through the cave and descend with the footpath past Swaeltjienes to join Spruitroete 2 (left) or cross the wooden bridge and re-join the main trail. Alternatively, take the Swaeltjienes turn-off, go past Swaeltjienes and carry on to enter the cave from the right, walk through the cave and descend with the footpath to re-join the main trail. The cave has an interesting stalagmite column, dripping water, and stinging netels / brandnetels (beware – touching them stings your skin!). There are a few Khoisan paintings still intact. On the right side of the cave there is a layer in the rock with lots of small white bits and pieces of bone from the dinosaur period.Ouhout Walk & Spruitroete: For Ouhout Walk start on the main trail, turn off to Swaeltjienes, cross the wooden bridge and turn right on the footpath following the spruit. Sit on the bench and contemplate life. Follow the footpath and go back to the chalets at the first turn-off to the right over the wooden bridge, or continue with Spruitroete 1 and exit next to the office. Or start at the office with Spruitroete 1 and continue up to Swaeltjienes with Ouhout WalkCross on the Cliff: Just past K16 take the Kruinroete 2 turn-off on the right, cross over Meiringspruit with the wooden bridge and continue straight up with a steep climb to the top of the cliff. Turn right to reach the cross and beautiful views over the Maluti mountains.Cliff Hanger Trail: A scenic adventurous hike of 4-7 hours all along the contours aorund the mountain cliffs with beautifull views over the mountain ranges in the area - Witteberge to the west, Maluti mountains in Lesotho to the south, and the Drakensberg and Rooiberge to the east. It traverses private property on the adjacent farm and a permit is required. The permit can be obtained at the office in Meiringskloof along with a trail map. An indemnity form must be signed.